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List Price: $14.98 | | Label: Universal Studios
Salesrank: 3908
Released: July 22, 1998 |
| Our Price: $8.08 |
| Used Price: $5.90 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
A ROCK STAR IS KIDNAPPED BY A GANG OF VICIOUS BIKERS, AND HER EX-BOYFRIEND AGRESS TO RESCUE HER FOR A PRICE.
Description of Streets of Fire:
Walter Hill's updated (1984), highly stylized take on biker movies still looks like a determinedly eccentric project that happens to work at times, but not at others. Michael Paré plays a biker who agrees to rescue his ex-girlfriend (a rocker played by Diane Lane) from kidnappers (led by Willem Dafoe). The ensuing battle against a nocturnal background of industrial blight, chrome, and loud music is like some fever dream of a Springsteen fan who listened to the song "Born to Run" far too often. The audacity of the film carries it a long way even after it becomes clear that Hill's experiment is crumbling under its own weight. Dafoe, who looked even spookier back then than he does now, is memorable, as are Amy Madigan and Rick Moranis. Music is by Ry Cooder, with an appearance by the Blasters. The DVD release has a widescreen presentation, optional French soundtrack, optional Spanish subtitles. --Tom Keogh
Streets of Fire Reviews:
(3.5 STARS): "A Rock'N'Roll Fable" Back in 1984 
2009-07-26 - "Street of Fire" is a Walter Hill / Joel Silver film that was a commercial flop back in 1984 but has gained a cult status since then. In this "Rock'n'Roll Fable" a popular rock singer Ellen (played by Diane Lane) is kidnapped by motorcycle gang "The Bombers." Ellen happens to be ex-girlfriend of a "mercenary" Tom Cordy (Michael Paré) who is back in town and sets out to rescue her. You may say the story is too silly. Yes, I know, but perhaps that is the point.
Actually this Western-like story is told in the fashion of 50s-ish B-films shown at drive-in theaters. See a switchblade-wielding kid and how he is treated by our always reliable hero and you know what I mean. Dialogues and one-lines are often terribly corny, but they are all intentional. The film's climax of course has a "duel" between Tom Cordy and the villain "Raven" (Willem Dafoe with a strange haircut), a one-on-one fight using unique choice of weapons. And don't forget Link Wray's classic song "Rumble."
Diane Lane (after two Francis Ford Coppola-directed films "The Outsides" and "Rumble Fish" both based on S.E. Hinton novels) plays the kidnapped rock star, but her role is comparatively small and unmemorable. It is Amy Madigan (to be Oscar nominated next year for her turn in "Twice in a Lifetime") who steals the show as "McCoy" who would make a much stronger fighter than Michael Paré's hero. Bow-tied Rick Moranis also appears as Ellen's manager. Don't miss Bill Paxton as bartender and Elizabeth Daily, whose role "baby Doll" suddenly shows up, and disappears.
Like Jack Hill's cult film "Switchblade Sisters," this is basically a kind of fantasy with a preposterous story and larger than life characters that exist only in cinema, and as to "Street of Fire" it is precisely made that way. We didn't get it back then when it was released, but maybe some of us do now in the post-Tarantino era. Also, as is often the case with these cult films (and Tarantino films), the soundtrack music by Ry Cooder is great.
terrible 
2009-05-30 - the product does not work on the three different players I tried it on! I am sending it back! What a disappointment!
Streets of Fire 
2009-04-23 - My family and I watched this movie years ago and really enjoyed it. My son mentioned this movie recently and said he would really like to see it again. After looking at local movie rental places and not finding it, I looked on amazon.com and found it. I ordered it and it is still as good as we remembered.
This Rocks
2009-03-31 - Great Cast,the opening concert sceen with Diane Lane is worth the price of the movie alone.Good roles by Michael Pare and Willem Dafoe.Rick Moranis plays his usual Sarcastic lame part.
An absolute MUST have !!
2009-03-22 - Sometimes there are absolute gems that for no reason at all dont get the proper coverage they deserve. This Movie is a double star. The soundtrack is a 10 out of 10 ,and the movie launched the careers of Diane Lane
and the star of Eddie and the Cruisers.
It is a relatively short movie, but the action, songs and acting are all terrific. This movie doesn't cure cancer,but if you want to spend 90 minutes really enjoying yourself, watch Streets of Fire. After its over and you're dying to hear the songs again, get the Soundtrack. many of the songs were bit hits 20 years ago. Jim Steinman played
on many sounds, so you will hear a lot of MeatLoaf type songs.
enjoy
